Through two days of the unofficial 2019 NFL free-agency period, dozens of the top free agents already have agreed to terms to new deals. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a new quarterback, the Green Bay Packers rebuilt their front seven, the Buffalo Bills addressed their need at receiver and the Kansas City Chiefs made a big addition to their secondary.
Ahead of Wednesday's official opening, seven of our insiders look at the winners -- both players and teams -- of free agency thus far, along with teams to keep an eye on over the next few days.
Note: This was completed before the Giants traded Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns.
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Favorite moves | Most surprising
Most underrated | Biggest winners | Teams to watch
What is your favorite move so far?
Matt Bowen, NFL writer: OLB Za'Darius Smith to the Packers. At 6-foot-4, 272 pounds, Smith is an easy mover as a 3-4 outside linebacker, with the sub-package versatility to rush off the edge or bump down inside as a defensive tackle. The former Raven posted 8.5 sacks last season, and the upside jumps on the film. He's physical at the point of attack, with the closing speed to track down the quarterback. Adding Smith -- along with former Redskins edge defender Preston Smith -- to pair with Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark creates a pretty salty pass rush in Green Bay.
Mike Clay, fantasy writer: OLBs Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith to the Packers. General manager Brian Gutekunst added two of the best available free-agent pass-rushers. The ex-Raven and former Redskin, respectively, are both in their prime at 26 years old and -- along with new safety Adrian Amos -- help improve what was the 22nd-ranked defense in 2018.
Dan Graziano, national NFL writer: S Tyrann Mathieu to the Chiefs. Kansas City has holes all over its secondary, and Mathieu can help plug whichever ones need plugging on a given day. Plus, he's a disruptive playmaker in the secondary, and in case you weren't watching Tom Brady convert a million out of a million third-down chances in the fourth quarter and overtime of the AFC Championship Game, that's something the Chiefs need.
Jason Reid, The Undefeated senior writer: S Tyrann Mathieu to the Chiefs. There's no better fighter than star safety Eric Berry, who battled cancer to resume his All-Pro career. But after tearing an Achilles tendon in the first game of the 2017 season, he has played in only four games the past two seasons. With Mathieu -- a big-time playmaker who adeptly fills multiple positions in the defensive backfield -- the Chiefs won't have to rely on Berry. Mathieu is also great in the locker room. Here's a guy who was voted as a team captain with the Texans in his only season with the team. The Chiefs absolutely nailed it.
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer: QB Teddy Bridgewater planning to return to the Saints. Returning for another season as Drew Brees' backup would have been the best move for Bridgewater's career even if the market had offered a rich payday for him as a starter. He'll get another year in Sean Payton's system, another year to get stronger and, possibly, a chance to succeed Brees.
Kevin Seifert, national NFL writer: WR John Brown to the Bills. Brown will play with strong-armed but erratic quarterback Josh Allen. He still has top-end speed and ranked fourth in the NFL last season in average yards per reception (17). Speed can help compensate for inaccurate quarterbacks.
Field Yates, NFL analyst: DT Malik Jackson to the Eagles. The Eagles are among the most mindful teams as it pertains to the compensatory draft pick formula, which Jackson does not factor into because he was cut by the Jaguars. He's a talented and disruptive interior defensive lineman worthy of a hefty price tag -- three years, $30 million -- and a nice fit alongside the terrorizing force that is Fletcher Cox.
Which move has surprised you most?
Bowen: The safety market. Landon Collins cashed in with the Redskins. Tyrann Mathieu got paid to head to Kansas City. Lamarcus Joyner landed a new deal in Oakland. Adrian Amos will get a nice check in Green Bay, too. And Earl Thomas should be next. With today's NFL offense becoming more multiple, the value of safeties with versatile skill sets is on the rise.
Clay: QB Teddy Bridgewater planning to return to the Saints. I was shocked at reports that the 26-year-old chose to remain as Drew Brees' backup instead of accepting both more money and an opportunity to start in Miami. Certainly the Saints have a much better opportunity to win the Super Bowl and maybe he'll eventually take over for 40-year-old Brees, but starting jobs don't come along often in this league.
Graziano: RB Mark Ingram leaving the Saints. I figured they'd keep the band together there for at least another year and make a run at it again. It's hard to imagine Ingram finding a better situation for himself than he had in New Orleans. But if he wants to cash out and try his hand at someone's No. 1 RB job, more power to him.
Reid: QB Teddy Bridgewater planning to return to the Saints. With the dearth of quarterback talent in a QB league, I really thought Bridgewater would move on to get a starting job. I mean, he's fully recovered from that gruesome leg injury and had a full season backing up Drew Brees. The timing seemed right for him to resume his career in earnest. On the other hand, I get it if Bridgewater is the Saints' quarterback-in-waiting. Brees can't play forever, right? But why do I feel like Bridgewater will be waiting for a long time?
Adam Schefter reports Teddy Bridgewater and the Saints are working on a deal to keep the QB in New Orleans.
Sando: Purportedly cash-poor Oakland paying so much for OT Trent Brown after using a first-round pick on the position last year.
Seifert: OLB Anthony Barr getting $13.5 million annually to spurn the Jets and return to the Vikings. I wasn't as surprised by the reversal -- we have seen that from time to time since the inception of the pre-market negotiation window -- as much as by what the Vikings paid to get him back. Remember, Barr is an outside linebacker who rarely plays as an edge rusher. Rather than pay so much for a non-pass-rusher, it would have been less surprising to see the Vikings spend the money on an offensive lineman.
Yates: The Packers landing both OLBs Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith. This isn't because I expected the Packers to be quiet on the open market -- GM Brian Gutekunst has a much different mindset than his predecessor, Ted Thompson, in that regard -- but rather because it's hard to land one pass-rusher in free agency given the market they attract, must less two. Well done.
What is the most underrated move so far?
Bowen: WR Jamison Crowder to the Jets. Crowder's route-running and short-area speed is a boost for second-year quarterback Sam Darnold on middle-of-the-field throws, and the fit is there in Adam Gase's system in New York. This allows the Jets to script inside matchups with Crowder working from the slot.
Clay: DB Kareem Jackson to the Broncos. Denver once enjoyed one of the league's top cornerback trios, but moving on from Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby over the past year left them with a major hole at the position behind stud Chris Harris Jr. Enter Jackson, who played at a high level on more than 1,000 snaps in Houston last season. He is versatile and can help out at safety, too, but considering Denver's needs and the fact that he has lined up at corner on 88 percent of his career snaps, the 31-year-old figures to spend most of his time against top receivers this season.
Graziano: S Eric Weddle to the Rams. I have to go with Weddle, because before he hit the market the Rams were weighing a pursuit of Earl Thomas or Tyrann Mathieu, and those guys would have been salary-cap eaters. Weddle is the perfect fit for a win-now Rams team that needs to replace a bunch of guys on defense, and getting him for $5.5 million guaranteed should give them a lot more flexibility than landing one of the bigger-money guys would have.
Reid: WR DeSean Jackson being traded from the Bucs to the Eagles. Jackson spent his first six seasons in Philadelphia, and he returns still possessing stretch-the-defense speed. He led the league in yards per catch last season (18.9), achieving the feat for the fourth time in his career. He gives quarterback Carson Wentz one of the game's top home run threats.
Sando: OLB/DE Dante Fowler Jr. to the Rams. This one-year deal keeps Fowler in prove-it mode.
Seifert: S Eric Weddle to the Rams. Signing Weddle on Friday, well ahead of a negotiating window that saw the safety market explode, fits here. His two-year, $12 million deal quickly looked quite reasonable.
Yates: WR Jamison Crowder to the Jets. He earned good money to sign with the Jets, but his three-year deal has been perhaps a bit overshadowed given that the Jets have been so busy with other moves. Crowder is slippery in space, reliable as a pass-catcher and a fit to help make life easier for Darnold. This is a really good pickup.
Which team is the biggest winner of free agency so far?
Bowen: Titans. Tennessee might not receive a bunch of hype for its moves, but it filled needs and added some upgrades. Re-signing versatile S Kenny Vaccaro fits with the multiple defensive scheme in Tennessee. WR Adam Humphries steps into the slot role for the Titans, and G Rodger Saffold bolsters the offensive line. He can move people off the ball.
Clay: Jets. The Jets were overhyped last offseason after making a lot of low-impact or lateral moves, but they deserve the hype this time around. ILB C.J. Mosley joins an improved defense that includes SS Jamal Adams, DE Leonard Williams, LB Avery Williamson, CB Trumaine Johnson and a healthy FS Marcus Maye. G Kelechi Osemele and WR Jamison Crowder are improvements to an offense that likely isn't done making impact moves. Oh, and the Jets still have the third overall pick in the draft.
Graziano: Packers. Just because this is the first time anyone ever has typed "Packers" as the answer to the question of "Biggest winners of the first couple of days of free agency." Green Bay always sits out free agency, but it is loading up on defense with expected deals for OLB Za'Darius Smith and LB Preston Smith, as well as S Adrian Amos. Big deals for the Pack. And besides, this is more fun than saying "Patriots" just because they're smarter than everyone else and always sit out the big early spends. Right, Sando and Seifert?
Reid: Jets. You have to absolutely love the move to bring in Mosley, who could be the final piece needed for a defense that has serious talent at every level. Washington will seriously miss Crowder. The Raiders get the cap savings they wanted in trading Osemele. The Jets get a really good football player.
Adam Schefter reports on the Raiders' intended four-year contract with Trent Brown and what it means for the team.
Sando: Patriots. They resisted overpaying OT Trent Brown and DE Trey Flowers, letting both leave for deals that will put New England in position to load up on prime 2020 compensatory picks without disrupting their salary structure. It's a long shot that Brown will live up to his big contract with Oakland. Keeping Flowers would have been nice for New England, but he's not an elite edge rusher.
Seifert: Patriots. They are the best flippers in the game. Coach Bill Belichick is more than willing to let players leave, even at important positions such as left tackle and edge pass-rusher, and simply collect the compensatory draft picks that come with it. This disciplined approach minimizes cap-busting overpayments but does put added pressure on the personnel and coaching staffs to replace and develop players each year.
Yates: Bills. I'm a huge proponent of the plan that the Bills have laid since coach Sean McDermott and eventually GM Brandon Beane were hired. Drafting and developing will be the primary forces for this regime, but they've wisely identified fits for their greatest needs in free agency. QB Josh Allen had one of the league's weakest supporting casts in 2018, but that will not be the case next season.
Which team are you watching closely for the rest of free agency?
Bowen: Patriots. Look for Belichick and the Patriots to find value on the second- and third-tier market in free agency, targeting veteran players who can fit into the Patriots' system while stepping into a productive role this season.
Clay: Colts. I expected the Colts to be very busy during free agency, but that hasn't been the case other than a pricey one-year, $10 million deal for WR Devin Funchess. Indianapolis' roster is already pretty good on paper, but voids remain at safety, linebacker, edge rusher and wideout. Armed with a ton of cap space, this is a team to watch closely during the second wave of signings.
Graziano: Colts. I never expected them to spend their entire trove of $106 million in cap space, but coming out of the combine, I expected them to spend at least $40 million of it. Funchess didn't eat up very much of the cap, and while I commend GM Chris Ballard for his patience, I'm curious to find out exactly who is on his radar for defense.
Sando: Raiders. They've been all over the map with their moves since Jon Gruden arrived as head coach, making them a difficult team to figure out. Their cash situation is the interesting variable. Every time they add a high-profile player, I think about ways they could save cash elsewhere on the roster. How will their plan unfold?
Seifert: Steelers. An annual Super Bowl contender, the Steelers have taken some well-chronicled hits. Can they find a way to replenish the skill-position players they've lost? Or are they spiraling toward a losing season as QB Ben Roethlisberger turns 37?
Yates: Patriots. While there has been a massive spending spree league-wide, the Patriots have taken a patient approach and surveyed the landscape without pouncing on any free-agent deals (at least those that have been reported as of this writing). No team in football does a better job of finding value than New England. Perhaps it won't be during the initial wave of the new league year, but this team's maneuvers are almost always worth watching given its sterling track record.